The land now known as Rust Park, located at the end of Rust Park Drive, was deeded to the City of Grand Blanc on December 15, 1939 by E. Sumner and Mary Rust. They stated that the land was “to be used for a city park, and to be known as Rust Park in memory of our nephew, Lieutenant William H. Rust, who was killed in the World War in France” on August 29, 1918. As part of the consideration of the donation, the City was required to spend at least $200 in development and maintenance of the park every year for a period of 10 years. The donated land consisted of approximately 20 acres. At the time of the donation, a newspaper article stated: “Laid out before the importance of public gathering places was realized, no provision was made in the community for a suitable place in which gatherings might be held. As a result, the decision of Mr. & Mrs. Rust to donate this splendid place is meeting with public approval and thanks.”

More than 60 years later, we continue to be grateful for this beautiful greenspace within the City. Having gladly met the requirements of the Rust family, the City has continued to improve and maintain this park past the initial 10-year period and visitors will find a memorial to Lt. Rust prominently in place. Equipped with a pavilion - complete with picnic tables, electricity and grills, permanent restroom facilities, a fenced play structure, tennis and basketball courts, and a baseball diamond, Rust Park offers something for everyone. Walking trails wind around the park and Thread Creek flows through it. Rust Park has also benefited from the results of several Eagle Scout service projects over the years, providing park benches, a “Human Sundial”, a storage shed for garden tools and many other improvements. A Children’s Garden was added in 2007, through the efforts of many volunteers, and more improvements are planned. Rust Park is the location for the annual “Duck Classic” rubber-duck fundraising race to benefit the Grand Blanc Community Educational Fund, as well as the “Press-On Regardless” Canoe Race sponsored by the Grand Blanc Parks and Recreation Department each May.

The Grand Blanc Community Commons is a nature preserve of 137.5 acres located behind McFarlen Library, 515 Perry Road. Thread Creek runs through the preserve and there are many nature trails present. A bridge allows visitors to cross the creek easily, but the majority of the property has been left as nature intended. Organized groups often gather here for bird-watching and other nature-related activities. Boy Scout Eagle service projects have been completed in the Commons, resulting in groomed trails, creek clean-ups and fallen, dead tree removals as well as the construction and placement of benches, bird and bat houses.

Once a working farm owned by Joseph and Elizabeth McFarlen, and by other members of their family since the early 1800s, the farm was acquired by the City of Grand Blanc in 1981. Mrs. McFarlen decided to sell the property in 1978 and a purchase agreement, contingent on the rezoning of the land to allow the development of office buildings and apartments, was placed by a local building company. When residents opposed the rezoning, it was denied and the sale did not go through. At this time, residents - many from Indian Hill subdivision – decided to try to purchase the property themselves in order to prevent its development. With the help of the Nature Conservancy, a group that purchases land in danger of development, and a $185,000 grant from the Michigan Land Trust, residents were able to raise enough to meet the $265,000 price tag. The process took three years. The land was then deeded to the City and a resolution was passed to ensure that it remain a passive park in perpetuity. Mrs. McFarlen made this statement when the final agreement was made: "I'm very happy that it's going to be used as a park. It may not be well known, but this is what I wanted, although I didn't feel I could get it."

Quite different from the City’s other two parks, the Grand Blanc Commons is a natural treasure in the midst of the City’s suburban development. It remains a place for visitors to enjoy wildlife and other forms of nature right inside our own community! Click here to see a GPS map of the trails and other landmarks of the Commons made by a City resident Eagle Scout. See another map drawn by JJ Cardinal's owner Louise Dawson.

Physicians Park is located in the heart of the City. The main entrance and parking area are on Reid Road, however, the park is adjacent to several Saginaw Street businesses and walk-through entrances can be found along that side of the park also. The park property was donated to the City of Grand Blanc in 1990 and consisted of approximately five acres of land. Since that time, additional land has been purchased from the railroad and adjoining residents to expand the park. The Parker family requested that the park be known as Physicians Park in honor of several ancestors from the Grand Blanc area who were physicians. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Physicians Park development was held in August 1999. Mr. Jim Parker, whose grandparents previously owned the land, was present at the park ceremony to share memories of his childhood days on the property. He remembered swinging from an existing tree on the property and of watching from the property, as a six-year-old, as US Army tanks built at the Grand Blanc GM plant and accompanied by soldiers, were loaded onto trains during WWII.

Today, the park boasts a fenced play structure and swing area, permanent restroom facility, large gazebo with picnic tables and electricity, grills and a walking path. In the winter, weather permitting, an ice-skating rink is formed over the large grassy area of the park. Physicians Park has been the recipient of Eagle Scout service projects, providing improvements and benefits to park visitors. Park benches, a flagpole and the raised viewing deck near the train tracks are all results of Scout-led projects and volunteer hours. This park is also host to the popular summer concert series, “Music in the Park”, with various weekly artists providing family entertainment in an open-air venue, usually during the month of July.

Reservations can be made at City Hall for the pavilion at Rust Park and the gazebo at Physicians Park on a first-come first-served basis. Both shelters have electrical outlets and picnic tables. No phone reservations are accepted. You must appear in person. Only the shelter may be reserved – the park remains open to the public. The City begins accepting reservations in mid-March of each year. Facilities reserved after August 31 are not guaranteed the availability of the public restrooms. If the restrooms are winterized, a temporary toilet will be provided. Public holidays are also exempt from reservations.

After confirming that the date you want is available, the reservation process begins by completing a form at City Hall. Fees vary based on residency, so a driver’s license is required for verification. A $75 refundable deposit is required to be paid, along with the reservation fee, at the time of reservation. This deposit will be returned by mail after your event if the pavilion/gazebo has been left clean. The rental fee is non-refundable.